Tarot madness

Tuesday my aunt asked me to do a tarot reading for her over skype. We used to do readings all the time when I lived closer so I was happy to do it. The next day I felt like someone else needed a reading done. I often get these "feelings" and though i dont know exactly how to explain them, I just know things. So, i posted on my facebook that i was willing to do tarot readings for anyone who needed one.

The cosmic tarot deck. The deck I use!

Boy did I get what i asked for! Yesterday alone I did 9 readings. And every time the person would tell me how eerily accurate it was or how helpful it was. Well, I was on a roll, so this morning I offered to do more readings, bringing the tally to 14.

Normally, I don't put much stock into tarot. I always looked at it as simply a random drawing of cards that could pertain to any situation in ones life. Of course, i still loved doing readings. Its a great way to put thoughts in order and get some perspective. You may feel like you are making the wrong choice, so you do a traot reading and while reading the cards, whatever they may say, you focus on your issue and are able to solve it.
I didn't really believe that it was much more than that honestly. But after doing all those readings, and hearing from others, some even strangers, how exact it was. Well, im starting to think maybe there is more to it. I think I'll start studying more and try to learn the cards better so i dont have to glance at my book every so often anymore. Im also going to try and memorize the medicine cards as those are my favorite!

What are your experiences with tarot? Would you rather give a reading or recieve a reading?

Late night walks

These past few days have been particularly rough on me. So after having a bad day, and Ember screaming for an hour in a defiant strike against sleeping, I had enough. I got dressed, threw on my favorite blue leopard print flip flops and went for a walk outside. Isabell came with me since it was so late at night, and her parents agreed to keep an eye on the kids in case they woke up. Yes, we are all night owls here!

We walked up to the park and I sat on the swings for awhile. The stars were absolutely beautiful. Everytime I look at the night sky I think of the goddess Nut looking down on all of us. Sometimes just staring at stars helps me to clear my mind. We even put glow in the dark stars all over the ceiling above our bed. Its so relaxing. Whatever problems of the day can be solved with a clear mind under the stars and a little fresh air.
Life is pretty tough right now, but I'm a tough cookie, I'll make it through. Gotta keep a positive mindset! How do you clear your mind after a rough day?

Pagan Enough

I know I promised you all a story, sadly I haven't had as much time to work on it as I would like. Also, I know its sunday and I don't normally post on sundays, but browsing facebook I stumbled upon something that made me want to post.

A question was posed about how you know someone is "pagan enough". I find this a little tough to answer. I was under the impression that pagan is an umbrella term. Many religions fall under this, and not all of them believe the same. Take for instance, Wicca. Wicca is a new religion all about do good, don't do harm, love, light and all the good stuff. Then you have Asatru, a very old religion. Yes thats the one with the vikings. Obviously, vikings weren't against killing people, so "harm none" probably wasn't in their vocabulary. Two different religions, both falling under the title "Pagan".

I don't fit neatly into any pagan religion and I'm okay with that. My beliefs are my own. I don't try to sell them, or shove them down bunny throats. I don't try to get famous or rich off of my beliefs. I don't advertise my actual beliefs, though I write this blog and label it as a pagan blog, my own beliefs are not plastered everywhere for you to view.  I am not wiccan, or asatru, or egyptian or anything specific. And I won't tell you my exact beliefs either.

Some people may say I'm not pagan enough, it doesn't bother me. So, why then do so many people worry about being pagan enough? If you are comfortable in your own beliefs thats all that should matter, right? After all, your beliefs are between you and your deity(s), not you and the world.

However, if you go around claiming to be wiccan yet don't follow the wiccan rede, you may have some soul searching to do on the right religion for you. This would be "wiccan enough" though. What are your thoughts on being "pagan enough"?

Rainbow cakes

I love cake, and I love color, so bringing the two together is only logical! I decided to make rainbow cake in a jar (My inspiration) and rainbow cupcakes. Last night I had quite the adventure trying to get the recipe right.

Doesn't it look yummy?

So after looking at the picture, I'm assuming you want to make these. Here's what you'll need:
1 box of white cake mix
the ingredients the cake box tells you
different colors food coloring
Cake pan or cupcake tray (with cupcake papers)

Betty Crocker white moist cake mix

Mix all the ingredients on the cake box. Just follow the instructions.

mix mix mix

Its a rainbow of fun!

Once the batter is all mixed, pour it into individual cups and add the desired food coloring. 

is that slime? haha

Color by color, pour in a little batter. Do this slowly so it doesn't just all mix together.

This was the beginning of the cake in a jar. Little did I know what was to come...

into the oven you go!

Now pop everything into the oven, again, follow the instructions on the cake box. Just keep a close eye on it in case of ...

Rainbow Lava

THIS! Yes, I poured in too much batter. Though I must say this rainbow lava was pretty neat

As you can see, it got a little bit crispy, but it was a fun learning experience. And the cupcakes?

They turned out perfect!

mini cake for the kids with left over batter

I wasn't able to get the frosting on them fast enough before everyone was snagging them. I made the frosting too. Butter, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. I played it by eye though so I don't have an exact recipe to give. I'm sure you could find one or just buy some from the store.

I hope you'll enjoy these, I know we did. Here are a few more pictures from my rainbow adventure.

Vincent wanted to lick the bowl! MMM

The frosting. I don't think I did it quite right, but it tasted great

Cut off the top of the jar cake, and the lava flow.

I see you!

Curiosity made me take the cake out, this is what it looked like

add sprinkles and you have the ultimate rainbow treat

Solstice Celebration

Today is the longest day of the year. To celebrate the sun I was going to wake up early, watch the sunrise, and tonight watch the sunset. However, I stayed up most of the night and so was too tired to hear my alarm. Thats ok, theres always next year! and I still have the sunset to look forward to!!
I plan on going for a walk today, enjoying the fresh air, maybe seeing if I can find some useful tools after our big storm last night. I also want to make something special, and I found this recipe for a honey apple tea, along with some useful information on litha.

I think I'll make this tea, slather on some sun block, and drink it out on my front porch. What are your plans for summer solstice? Leave a comment.

~Lynx

Fathers day

My weekend was pretty busy. We had my father in laws birthday saturday and fathers day sunday. To celebrate, we just did a cookout saturday and had some super delicious bbq ribs. My sister in law made some AMAZING biscuits and I'm going to beg her for the recipe and post it here, with her permission of course.
We are trying to potty train ember also. She did really well yesterday. Told us everytime she needed to go, only had one accident, and was refusing to wear a diaper. Now today she has decided she wants nothing to do with the toilet lol. My daughter is very stubborn. Everyone says girls are easier to potty train, but im starting to wonder.
This week I plan on getting up the first segment of my story, probably more towards the end of the week. I will also be posting a how to for one of the hemp necklaces, and adding a bit to The Poor Witch's Guide. So, today's post is a bit short, but I have a lot going on and am working on some big things for the blog. I hope you can bear with me! Hope you all had a great weekend!

~Lynx

In the making

In an attempt to add some more structure to my blog, I will be starting a once a week posting of a continuous story. All I can say right now is that it will have to do with the gods and goddesses and is fiction. I hope it will be everything I imagine it to be! I'm also thinking about adding an occasional video. I still want to do some how tos, especially for my hemp necklaces, and I find videos are better for that then text and pictures.
I started a page on facebook, Witchy Mama Lynx. This is for anyone on facebook who wants an easier way to follow the blog. All updates are posted there, as well as links to things I find interesting and useful. Public posting is enabled, so if there's a link, picture, or comment you want to share, post away! I have a twitter as well, though I don't use it often, WitchyLynx. I'm not very twitter savy lol.
All of this is so that readers can be in contact, give me feedback, and discuss everything. feedback is a good thing!

Tuna Pasta Recipe

Eating the same thing gets boring sometimes, so I occasionally look for new recipes to test. This recipe I found, tweaked, and enjoyed! Its so quick and easy to make too.

Ingredients:
1 Can of tuna (or chicken)
1 large can of stewed tomatoes
A few squirts of lemon juice
a bit of garlic and onion for taste
Parsley
2 cups favorite pasta noodle (I used elbow macaroni)

Heat the stewed tomatoes, lemon juice, and garlic/onion in a pan. Boil the macaroni in a pot. (haha obviously) Once the sauce is heated up, add the tuna. Stir it all together. When the pasta is done, drain it and put some on a plate, top with the sauce and add a bit of parsley.

It has a sweet kind of taste to it. I enjoyed it. Oddly enough, my mother in law said it tasted like Filipino sardines, which she likes. Try it and tell me what you think.

Lunar eclipse and Summer solstice

Tomorrow, June 15th, is a total lunar eclipse. If you are in the southern hemisphere you have the honor of getting to see it! I'm definitely bummed that I'm not living down there lol. The energy is still there though, and so it is a great time to work any spells or rituals that you think will need that extra OOMPH! So get out your candles, dust off your altar, and get to work.

As many of you know, Summer solstice aka Litha is June 21st. Also my moms birthday! Litha is a Sabbat and the longest day of the year. Every day after grows shorter. Which means bye bye light, hello darkness. Litha is directly across from Yule on the wheel of the year, yule being the shortest day of the year. This is a great day to go outside, have a barbecue, go hiking with the kids, roast some marshmallows and just have fun in nature. Enjoy the sun, greet it in the morning, and say farewell to it at sunset. Use sun like colors in your work like yellows, white, orange. Pick some flowers, dance around in the grass barefoot. Make your preparations now rather than later. A prepared pagan is a happy pagan lol. Research what Litha is and find out if there are any celebrations you could join in on in your area (don't just show up, let them know you want to come). If there are no celebrations you can attend have your own, either solitary, or just have a barbecue and invite the neighbors. They don't have to know its to celebrate a pagan holiday.

Like I said, make your preparations now, this way you aren't running around last minute, about to have a panic attack because you forgot the yellow altar cloth and the candles don't match. Be prepared! Hope you all have a great day!

~Lynx

Weather Woes

For the past few days we have had flood warnings here, as well as storm warnings. Luckily we have had very little rain and our area has not flooded! I've been wanting to take the kids to the park but the clouds, although rainless, look as though they will burst any moment. So, we've been cooped up in the house for a while.
Yesterday I was feeling sick so the baseball game we had all planned to go to ended up becoming a grandparents take the kids for a day event. They had a blast and came home with big smiles and stories about their day, though ember's were mostly gibberish.
Today I'm still feeling a bit bleh, but I really just want to get out of the house! I've been thinking about going for walks every morning, since its still a little cool but waking Izzy up to watch the kids can be quite the challenge. I suppose I could take the kids with me, and hope that they are awake, fed, and ready to go before noon lol! I definitely need the exercise though, and just the fresh air. I feel cramped, and like there is stale energy surrounding me. that must sound strange to some of you. Picture waking up, taking that first deep breath and big stretch and how much different your body already feels. I feel like I'm stuck mid stretch and my body is yelling at me to fix it.
Its a new week, and a new day. I'll just throw a walk into my routine and try to keep up!
~Lynx

My Goddess

In fifth grade, a year after I found paganism, we learned about Greek gods and goddesses. This is one of my favorite school memories. The projects, the mythology, making a pinata for Apollo, playing the part of Io in a play... it was just awesome. I felt such a strong connection to them and to the Egyptian gods. I loved (and still love!) learning about deities and mythology and the history of religions in different cultures. As I grew older, I still had that connection.
I had a lot to learn about myself as I grew up. Coming to the conclusion that i was never going to fit neatly into a specific pagan path took a lot of trial and error. I couldn't accept one god, I couldn't accept just saying "god and goddess". I felt there were many gods. After meditating, and researching I realized I now had what one might call a Matron Goddess. This took years, and i don't think I chose, I think she chose me.

Bast, Egyptian cat-headed Goddess. There are many reasons i feel so connected to her, but there are two things in particular that sealed the deal for me. I have a tattoo on my left wrist, its the eye of Horus. Bast was given Horus's left eye to guard. While at the tattoo parlor, I asked for the eye of Ra, I ended up with the eye of Horus. A mistake I am now grateful for. The second reason? Gods usually have a ruling planet, Bast has both the sun and the moon. She was known to ride with Ra as he carried the sun across the sky, while at night, with her glowing cat eyes, she protected him from his enemies. I was born on the cusp of cancer and leo. Cancer being a moon sign, Leo being a sun sign.
I'm not going to get into a long post about finding a God/dess. There is no right way. Sometimes a person just knows, sometimes they spend years researching, sometimes something happens and they realize a god has chosen them. Choosing a deity is important when you are trying to figure out who you are and what path you should be on. But don't obsess over it, you'll know when you're supposed to know.

Charging

So you just got a beautiful new crystal and are excited to start using it right away! But you don't know where to begin with cleansing and charging? No worries, that is what this blog is for!

There are tons of ways to cleanse and charge your crystal. Or your pendant, tool, toenail, whatever, I won't judge. You can charge just about anything. First we'll start with cleansing though. You want to cleanse your crystal of any unwanted energies. Crystals are grown in nature, what energy could you possibly want to get rid of? Good question. Did you buy said crystal at a store? and how many people do you think touched or held that crystal before you did? Their energy is all over it. So, to be on the safe side, we cleanse it. Cleansing can be done by simply washing the crystal in salt water, a stream or river. Water is one of the best ways to cleanse as you are basically "washing" away the unwanted energy. Much like a baptism. The water is purifying. Bet you never thought of it that way!

So now that your crystal is cleansed, its time to charge. One way is using the elements, earth, air, fire, water. Bury your crystal, pass it through smoke, pass it through flame, let it soak in a jar of spring water. All of these are good ways. The easiest would probably be the water, as you just used water to cleanse it. Its a two for one deal! I sometimes keep my pentacle necklace on and cleanse and charge it while I shower. Using the elements can come in handy, especially if you are going to be using your crystal for element work. Some other ways to charge your crystal are with the sun or moon. Just set it out where the sun/moon rays can touch it and leave there for a few hours. You can sprinkle it with oils/herbs. You can hold it in your hand and charge it with your own energy. Or you can think a specific thought, like strong or love and charge it this way too. You could even use a combination of any of these methods to get the desired effect. Its all up to you.

Once your crystal is charged, and you won't be needing it for a while, you'll want to store it somewhere safe. Wrap it in cotton or silk and hide it away. Its best not to let anyone else touch it, so their energies don't rub off and ruin the work you just did, but to each his own. Some people prefer to cleanse and charge their tools each time they use them, and that's fine too.

Enjoy your newly charged crystal!

Protection spell

This is a very simple spell for protection. Use it to protect yourself, others, or belongings. Just draw a pentacle either with marker or with just your finger somewhere on what you want protected and say the words,

 "With this pentacle,

Gods protect,

as I draw,

My energies project,

Protect (person/thing) day and night,

til this pentacle fades from sight."

It also helps to envision the pentacle glowing, especially if you are just tracing it on with your fingers. Repeat as needed.



The Witch Hunt

Today I watched a show on NatGeo about the Malleus Maleficarum. Written by Heinrich Kramer in 1486, this book played a huge part in the witch trials that would ensue for many many years after. At first, not many people listened to this guy, they thought he was a lunatic and laughed at him. So, then he wrote this book. He forged signatures, and even forged a document from the Vatican which would allow him to continue his witch hunt.
The main target, women. To be more exact, poor women. And anyone who defended them, also became a target. Victims were tortured for days until they confessed to practicing witchcraft. Sometimes they were strung up by their wrists until their arms dislocated, or they had their hands put in a vice until the bones were crushed. Its no wonder so many people confessed, death would be a more welcoming thought than days of endless torture. Hundreds of thousands of people were tortured, and/or murdered due to these witch hunts. In my mind, this guy is Hitler's equal.
Good thing this horror isn't still happening today, huh? Wrong. All over the world, witch hunts are still happening, people are still being murdered for their beliefs or just because some neighbor decided to be an ass. What better way to murder someone and get away with it then to cry "witch"? It's a sad yet interesting story to read up on. (Google witch hunts or witch trials.) I'm a bit of a history buff so things like this intrigue me. Perhaps one day, the witch hunts will stop. What can we do?

Chakra Cleansing

This is just a brief description of how to cleanse chakras using a pendulum. This is great for when you feel like you have a build up of negative energy.

First, you will want to gather your tools. Also, I should mention this is not a solitary project, you will need at least one other person to help you with this. For this walk through I will use you (the reader) as the one performing the cleansing and your partner as the one getting their chakras cleansed.

Tools:
Pendulum
Bowl of cleansing water*
Comfortable place to lay down flat
A Partner

Once you have gathered your tools ask your partner to lay down. Make sure they are comfortable and flat on their back. (You will have to cleanse and charge your pendulum for healing purposes before beginning)

Chakra Points

There are 7 chakras, main energy points in your body. These chakras can get a build up or blockage of energy sometimes, in which case you come in and do a cleansing!


I will list the chakras from root to crown (bottom to top), and where they are located.
Root- base of spine, tailbone
Sacral- about an inch or two below the belly button
Solar Plexus- the upper abdomen, the stomach area
Heart- center of chest
Throat- throat
Third eye- between the eyes on the forehead, just above the brow line
Crown- the top of your head

Alright, now that you know where the chakra points are, you may begin cleansing them. I always start at the root. Hold your pendulum just a few inches above the chakra, your other hand goes over (not in!) the bowl of water. Yes, you will have this negative energy passing through you from the pendulum to the water. Its alright, just envision the energy moving through you to the water and make sure its all through before you move on to the next chakra. The pendulum should get a good movement going before you can move on. It should spin in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. Do not rush, you want to get a big wide spin out of the pendulum. If it begins to slow down or stops all together you can move on to the next chakra.

Do this for each chakra, from root to crown. Don't be surprised if your partner gets a little giggly, some people say it tickles. Also, some people (myself included) tend to have trouble "letting go" of their negative energy. Don't worry, this just means you may have to hold the pendulum there longer.

I recommend a chakra cleansing once every few months, maybe more if you tend to be around a lot of negative energy or have a lot of negative energy within yourself. Teach your partner how to do this and you can both cleanse each other. However, do not use the same water. After you have cleansed one person, take the water outside and pour it onto the earth, thus cleansing it of the energies you just trapped in it. Some people flush it down the toilet, others prefer not to. I myself just feel better giving it to the earth.

*To make cleansing water, gather water from a stream, or river. Or take regular tap water and cleanse it or charge it under the moon.

I took a class for this a few years ago and my first time I felt like I had just received a massage. Its also good to take it slow, drink water and don't just jump up after having this done. This is another one of those articles I had lying around that I had posted in a FB group.

~Lynx

Links, Pages, and Photos

I've added a bit more to the blog. Now, there are a few more pages. The Lynx Links page takes you to a list of links I find useful or have posted to in my blogs. I've also added a photo page where I will be adding my own photography of nature and things that make me think magick, paganism, gods, etc. Finally, I added a recipe/spells page. This page is super helpful as it categorizes the recipes, spells, and rituals that I post and makes it quick and easy to go to whatever blog you may be looking for. Obviously as I post more blogs, these pages will fill up more.
Also, I am open to suggestions. I actually have a list of future topics. This way, If I can't think of something off the top of my head one day, I can look up a topic on my list and write about that. I've also got a list of spells and things ready to be posted. Whatever you suggest, will either be added to my list, or blogged about next time. I'm working on a contact me page so that you can send any ideas to me. Don't be shy, I write these blogs for other people to read so it's great to get feed back from the readers.

No Hate

I'm a female witch, who is married to a MtF transperson. Essentially making us a lesbian pagan couple. We have made these choices, we came out, we knew the possibilities, we knew how much harder it could make our lives. I don't really know which closet I stepped out of first. In school, everyone knew i was bisexual and that I practiced witchcraft. I didn't run around shouting it out down the halls, but I didn't deny it either. Why should I lie to fit in?  In my family it was a different story. No one knew. I liked keeping it that way because for some reason, the two things that defined a major part of me, were "not right" in others eyes.
When I was 16 I moved half way across the country to live with my aunt. There, I could be myself. My little sister was pushed out of the closet at this time and some of the family was less than thrilled. I blew up. I told my sister, I supported her. I told the family if they had something to say they could say it to me because i was gay too. Not much was said about it after that. Me and two of my sisters are out of the closet.
I bring all this up, because despite the fact that we are older, more mature, better capable of handling whatever hate may come our way because of who we are, we still have that hate coming at us. Not everyone accepts Izzy. I have stood up for her at every turn, and lost family and friends because of it. Sadly, some of her family isn't accepting either. One family member in particular is very vocal about their disgust. Have they educated themselves about any of this? No. Will they listen to what we have to say? No. They are just a hateful toxic person who is part of this worlds problem. In high school, I was "baptized" by a group of girls who called me a devil worshipper and thought I was going to curse them. No matter what I said, they didn't hear it, and neither did the teacher.
It saddens me that such people exist. I know that they do, and I know that in my life I am sure to run into many more of them. I just wish that people could educate themselves more. Humans fear the unknown, they hate what they do not understand. When I say "education is the solution to the worlds problems" I really believe that. If everyone educated themselves about others beliefs, If religions learned of others beliefs, if different cultures learned about each other, Life would be better. Education can end the fear that causes so much hatred, violence, ignorance, and chaos.
I am a gay witch. For some people, reading that sentence will bring up anger and fear. Before you open you're mouth though, learn something about what it is to be gay, or pagan, or anything that isn't what you are. Maybe you'll learn, you're fear is ridiculous.

A rose by any other name

10 points to the Shakespeare lovers who finished that quote in their heads! Now to topic: Craft names. Also known as Magic(k) names or shadow names. Why would a person want a craft name? If you're still in the broom closet, you can keep your real identity secret when practicing with others or when online. Some people feel a stronger connection to their deities or their work when they use a craft name. Some covens give their members a craft name, or allow them to pick one at various stages of learning. Some people even have multiple craft names! One for the general public, one for their deities, one for their coven.

Do you have to have a craft name? No! You don't have to go picking a name out of a hat just yet. If you feel more comfortable using your own name then do it. I see it this way, what you do on your path, is your choice. No one can tell you you're doing it wrong because they aren't you, they are not on your path. Some people see using a craft name as silly and "fluffy", clearly I don't agree. To each his own. Again, I say, do what feels comfortable to you.

Now, if after some thought you have decided you want a Craft name, there are many ways you can go about finding one. You can meditate and just let it come to you. You can search baby name sites. If you want to choose a name by its meaning, baby name sites are a great way to do that. They have search bars that allow you to choose the specifics. Bog/girl, meaning, origin, etc. Some people choose a name through numerology, wanting their birth name and craft name to match numerically. Name generators can be helpful too. You can also ask a deity to help you by sending you a sign, or you can write a bunch of names or words you like on a piece of paper and use a pendulum to pick. There are tons of ways to decide.

To help you a little more, I'm going to explain my chosen name. Lynx Raine Amunet. This name took me years to decide upon. I actually went through a few names before I felt 100% comfortable with my name. How did I finally decide this was my name? Lynx is my spirit animal. So, I honor it with my name. Raine is actually just a shortened form of my given middle name, Lorraine. I chose Amunet, the name of the Egyptian goddess, female counterpart of Amun, and a protector of secrets. Oddly enough, Lynx is thought to be an animal who knows many secrets. So together, the name just suits me. For a little extra effort, I checked the numerology behind my names also. Why did I decide to use a craft name? I chose a name to separate my religious life from my day to day life, to make my religious life that much more special, and because my given name is much too common. Also, it does come in handy when around other pagans, or when online, such as now.

My wife is currently trying to find her craft name. Her beliefs are very Egyptian based, and so I see her finding something to that aspect for her name. Of course, I could be wrong! Picking a name can be hard or easy, it may take years or minutes. You may pick the right name the first time, you may go through twenty before you decide. Whatever happens, I hope this helps you in some way. Good luck to you.

~Lynx

Priest, Priestess, Poser

When you walk the pagan path, you can expect to find a wide variety of people. There are those who are in the "broom closet" and those who practice openly and do a great deal of good for the image of pagan faiths. You'll also find those who are very ill-informed and tend to make the rest of us look like unicorn riding nut jobs, and then there are the people who seem to be the second one but are actually the third. I'm talking about the self proclaimed Priests and Priestesses. The ones who claim high rank amongst the pagans but couldn't tell you the difference between deosil and widdershins.

I'm sure we've all come across at least one. Unfortunately, there are plenty to be found. They give a bad name to the real Priests and Priestesses and other clergy of pagan faiths who have worked hard to attain their titles. So how then, can we weed out the impostors? I have a few tips, though not completely fool proof, they should help.

1. Fakes tend to be very vocal about their awesome knowledge and abilities, but when it comes time to prove it, they come up short. They brag about how great they are at seeing auras or their extensive knowledge of herbs. But then they tell you they cant see your aura for some reason, or that they've never heard of catnip tea for relaxation. Not everyone who is vocal about their gifts is a fraud though, so just pay close attention. Usually the real deal can easily prove they are.

"It's so fluffy i'm gonna die!"

2. They talk about their run ins with vampires, how the other night they managed to teleport/levitate, or how they have been possessed by a god/goddess. AKA nut jobs! These tend to sometimes have a group of followers that are mostly newer-to-the-path pagans who don't know any better. They make all pagans look like fluffy bunnies. Steer clear, as usually there is no talking any sense into them.

3. Use your judgement. If you meet someone who preaches away but won't let you give your two cents, move on. A real Priest/ess knows that their word is not law and that they can be wrong. If you find someone who claims they were given the title by their gods, be cautious. Wicca and many other pagan faiths require an initiation into a coven and much studying, learning, participation, and testing to gain such a title. There are those who believe you don't need a coven to tell you you're ready for such titles, I am one of them. But I also believe that holding a title is a big responsibility, not to be taken lightly, and requires A LOT of dedication.
 Just use your brain before you start practicing with a complete moron.

To anyone who is interested in joining a coven or practicing with a group, keep these in mind and you should do alright. Also, if you live in an area where finding a pagan is like finding gold check out Witchvox. You can make a profile, post a listing, and find stores, clergy, get togethers, articles, and so much more. Good luck to you.

~Lynx

Meet Tali'Zorah

Tali'Zorah, making herself comfy on my lap

This is Tali'Zorah, my rescued best friend. I believe she is a Himalayan, and her ears are not laid back, they are folded or "crunched" as I used to call them. Her eyes are a beautiful blue, and her fur reminds me of cuppacino and dark chocolate. She is quite a big cat and when the children pick her up her paws almost drag the floor.

Tali came to us when a woman found her on the street. Her fur was matted, she was skin and bones, she had no claws front or back, and she was scared. The woman couldn't keep her and posted on facebook. A friend of mine shared the link and I fell in love. I showed Izzy and said "I want this cat." Izzy argued with me for a bit, as we weren't allowed to have cats. I argued that we were moving anyway. She caved and the next morning went to get our newest family member. Well, if she hadn't been fully sold on the idea of getting a cat, Tali swayed her opinion quickly. She purred like a jack hammer when Izzy picked her up!

Don't mind the toy tornado in the background :)

We spent almost a week trying to name her, I just couldn't find anything that suited her. Then my sister jokingly suggested a video game character's name. I thought it was perfect for her. Now, she is a happy, healthy, well loved kitty. She occasionally sneaks outside if someone leaves the door open, but that night she always comes to my window and meows to come back in. She's a cuddley ball of fur and sleeps with us at night. During the day she enjoys hiding, and only comes out when shes hungry, wanting attention, or feeling frisky. The kids still need to be reminded sometimes that we have to be nice to our furry family and that pulling her tail is not nice. Amazingly, Tali tolerates their antics and no matter what torture they put her through, she will still curl up next to them for their naps. She loves to talk, and will carry on conversations. She has also become quite spoiled, getting all sorts of treats and tuna dishes more than occasionally.

This kitty is the perfect fit for our family, and I think she feels the same way. We're lucky to have her.
Do you have any special furry friends?

~Lynx

What's for dinner?

A couple days ago I tried a new recipe using grape jelly, chili sauce, and meatballs. This recipe has been around for a long time but its new to me! Well, It went great and so I have decided to try it again tonight and change it just a bit to make it more of a meal. Here's what I'm gonna do:

8oz grape jelly
12oz chili sauce
Hawaiian bread (you can find it in the bakery section usually or just use hot dog buns)
shredded mozzarella cheese
Meatballs! (I use Armour original meatballs, a small bag)

Take the grape jelly and heat it in a pot on low. stir occasionally. While that heats, set the oven to 350 and put all the meatballs on a cookie sheet in a single layer. cook for about 15 minutes.

Once the jelly is a little more liquidy, pour in the chili sauce and stir together, continuing to heat on low.

When the meatballs are done, take them out and pour them into the sauce. Go ahead and turn the heat off.

Take the hawaiian bread (or whatever you're using) and open it up, sprinkle a little shredded mozzarella cheese in and place a few sauce covered meatballs.
Voila! You have a delicious meatball sandwich thats a little sweet, and a little saucy. If you want something with more of a kick, you can put in crushed red pepper flakes, hot sauce, or cayenne pepper.

My kids LOVE these things and I doubt we will have any leftovers. These are also great by themselves as an appetizer for parties.
Enjoy!

~Lynx

Willpower

Today, while I was taking a shower and doing a little cleansing ritual, I realized that my wife and I have not had a cigarette in a week. This was one of my goals I had set in an attempt to live a healthier life. When I found out I was pregnant with Ember, I quit. Sadly, I picked up the bad habit again as my wife has had a much harder time quitting. Kind of like an alcoholic in a liquor store, sometimes the temptation is just too strong. Finally though, my wife and I decided enough excuses, it's time to quit. So we smoked our last cigarette and agreed not to buy another pack. Its amazing what a person can accomplish with willpower. We haven't used any patches or pills, we did it "cold turkey". Hopefully, this is the end and neither of us lights up again!

The reason why I bring this up is because, in witchcraft, willpower comes into play a lot. When you do a spell, you are basically willing something to happen. You focus energy, you direct it, you wish, you concentrate, you will it. Sometimes, we find ourselves turning to magick to help us solve our problems before we have done all we can. You want a job? then look for one, use your willpower and get up, get out, apply anywhere and everywhere. Don't turn to a job spell, asking the gods to bless you with the perfect job, when you won't help yourself. You want to be healthier? Don't get out your candles just yet! Sit down, and make a list of things you can do to become healthier. Losing weight, quitting smoking, eating better, exercising, going to a doctor and getting a check up. What do YOU need to do before you turn to magick? Decide, and then do it. Tell yourself that nothing will stop you from achieving this goal, and if you gain a pound instead of losing, or a job place doesn't call back, don't give up! Try again.

If you think you really need to turn to magick, then take all that willpower and direct it into your spell. You are strong, and you can do anything you put your mind too. I know this post is probably sounding a little more like a motivational poster, but it is true. I see so many people say "I can't" and really they are just destroying themselves. They aren't giving themselves a chance. If you start doubting yourself, its like planting a weed in a beautiful garden. Its going to over take the garden and soon you aren't just thinking you can't do it, you aren't doing it.

Sorry I got a bit preachy. Guess I put a bit too much willpower in there. Ha ha, get it? alright, alright I'll stop torturing you. Hope you enjoyed the post.

~Lynx

Love is Love

This post is going to be a little different. Mombian is doing an LGBT blog event for June 1st and I have decided to participate. My family is different, but in an amazing way and I want to share that with you.

Isabell and I on our 4 year wedding anniversary

My wife, Isabell, is a MtF transperson who stole my heart in high school. Back then, she was a he and we were madly in love. I knew she was the person I wanted to spend my life with, to share my soul with. So, on October 13th, 2006; just a few months after we had graduated, we were married. That night, I got pregnant. We got our own place and struggled with bills and in November I saw the little line that confirmed our suspicions. It was a stressful and exciting time. We were newlyweds, already starting a family and trying to stay afloat. I didn't know whether to cry from fear or joy, but the smile on Isabell's face was all it took. We were going to be parents! We did all we could to prepare ourselves for the joyful chaos that was parenthood. But of course, no one is ever truly prepared for what life throws at them.

When our son was 3 months old, Isabell came out to me. I was shocked of course. But unlike many couples who have fallen apart when one essentially steps out of their gender, we grew stronger. I had a lot of questions, and I remember how scared she looked as she told me how she's felt about her body all these years, how looking in the mirror was like looking at a stranger. I can't imagine what that must feel like, nor what living with a woman as my partner would be like. I just let her know that no matter what, I would always love her.

I am bisexual, but really, I don't think that's what makes me so okay with all of this. I don't see gender, I see soul. Isabell has a beautiful soul. She's shy and creative and loving. When someone needs help, she's there, no questions asked. Every day she has new and amazing ideas of how to make the world better. She supports me in all that I do, even when the odds are against me, she believes in me. She loves our kids, and the smiles on their faces when she walks into the room shows it. When we argue, she still tells me she loves me, and she'll still call me on her lunch break at work to brighten my day. No matter what we go through, no matter what people may say about us, we stand together, stronger than ever, and I never doubt our love. When you find someone like that, you don't call it quits over something as silly as gender. That's like ending a marriage because you're partner forgot you're cat's birthday. At least, its the same in my mind.

Isabell and I have been through a lot in the five and a half years we have been together. There were times where I questioned if we could make it. We even separated for a few months. They were the worst months of my life. Now, we have a deal, we will never quit trying. We will always be there for each other. We will always talk open and honestly. And If all else fails, we will get counseling. If that fails, we will decide what to do. It has worked. You're view on things changes when you go from being unsure, to saying "I am sure and I'm not going to give up without a fight".

She is on hormone replacement therapy, and lives full time as a woman now. Sometimes when we go out, people give us dirty looks, or talk about us like we can't hear them. Isabell just lowers her head and tries to ignore it. I glare and try not to punch them right in their ignorant faces. They don't see what I see, they don't feel what we feel. They may never understand, and that is their loss. We even get the remarks "Their children are going to be faggots". That word, makes me want to vomit, right along with the "N" word. It amazes me that such hateful, ignorant people can exist, and say such cruel words about a child no less.

Our children, Vincent and Ember, are wonderful. They call Isabell "Ma" and though they are still too young (ages 4 and 2) to understand everything they show no issues with daddy becoming ma. Vincent loves cars and dinosaurs and catching bugs. Ember loves playing with dolls and wearing dresses and getting her fingernails painted. They seem "normal", but if they grow up to be gay, we will love them no less. We will support them, and encourage them to do what makes them happy and love who makes them happy. We are going to be open and honest with them. We will teach them about straight and gay relationships. I know we can't shield them from the world, all we can do is try to prepare them for the love, and the hate, that it has to offer.

We hope that our own love will be a guide for them of what true love is. To show that gender does not matter, its what is inside that counts. To show that no matter what, they will be loved by us and someday by a special someone who they will want to spend the rest of their lives with. I want them to know, and anyone reading this to know, that Love is Love and nothing is stronger than that.